Last week, I came across this article and emailed it to myself. I was trying to go through my inbox tonight (it's a disaster) and came across it and had a lightbulb moment.
A swath of the Deep South and Appalachia has emerged as the U.S. “diabetes belt,” researchers find. County-by-county mapping shows that the highest rates of diabetes cut two paths—one strung through Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia, and another running eastward from Louisiana through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
Source: US News & World Report
I started this whole journey for health. For a life that wouldn't be riddled by disease as a 455 pound twenty-something. I didn't want to be a contributor to these sorts of reports. I may talk about pretty clothes or other random things, but at the end of the day, the goal is to live a longer, healthier, more active life.
I'm going to try to pull myself together this week and celebrate the health victories I've had. I know I shouldn't be upset for *only* going 8.4 miles. Back in one of my first posts on the blog, I couldn't walk to and from the DC Metro, 3 blocks from our hotel, without getting sore and winded. I missed key parts of the trip because my body couldn't handle the walking. I have no doubt that I would be able to keep up with everyone if we were to do this vacation again.
A couple of weeks ago, the instructor for my Running 101 class (which I've been missing b/c it falls on my recovery day for half training) had asked out of curiosity if I had taken my resting heart rate since I started all of my training. I hadn't, and was so shocked. When I started, it was around 88. Now? 48. YES, 48! I thought it was a mistake because a heart rate that low is usually reserved for conditioned athletes. So I took it again, and again, and again. Same. Hot damn, that's a great measure of health improvement. I will try to remind myself of this victory the next time I start doubting myself on a long training session.
Funny how our perception of achievement can change so suddenly. We always want more, and we want it now! Thanks again guys, for helping me realize that this Eeyore-ish attitude might just be me being too hard on myself.
